| Evicted froma hotel for being a foreigner | |
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| Nov 9, 2008 10:18 |   |
 | Regular travellers are aware that foreigners are not officially permitteed to stay in cheap hotels. This can be quite an issue in some cities as u just get a 'mai you' at every place.u try. For the first time though, I have experienced action by the cops once I was installed in a Guangdong city where all the hotels warmly welcome you. The bioyts in blue were, I believe, doing a routine check of the paperwork as I sauntered down the stairs. They gave me a very meaningful look but said nothing. When I came back in the owners apologetically told me I had to leave. It sems they suffered no penalty but dared not let me stay eveen that night. Ah, the joys of travel in China. (but, it must be said it was all very civilised and polite) |
| Nov 9, 2008 13:03 | #1 |
| You should check-in using a local Chinese with China ID card. I faced the same problem in Shenzhen because the receptionist would not accept my checking in using my passport although I have booked the room through a friend, under my name. I have to wait almost 2 hours for her to rescue me from her college, because she took a bus. The room was later registered under her name. Wan |
| Nov 9, 2008 21:53 | #2 |
| Wan, in this case I doubt that booking in under a local name would have made any difference to Paul. Probably a case of bad luck and timing. I always stay in Chinese hotels and “touch wood” nothing has happened to me, apart from winning the room next to the all-night karaoke bar. Can someone attempt to explain why this regulation is in place? Dodger. |
| Nov 9, 2008 23:01 | #3 |
| The local name registraation helps sometimes, but it has beeen insufficint to get me into hotels in some cities, and if you are obviously not Chinese as in my case, nothing is going to help if they see you and choose to enforce the rules. I have been seeen elsewhere -i nevitable in one case as the hotel was next to the police station, but they were not concerned, probably because it was not those persons' specific responsibility that day! It is an old law dating back to when they really wanted to keep an eye on all foreigners, we were all potential spies. A reason that is also often given is that it is to protect foreigners, they might be in danger in the cheap places. While my safety has never been an issue for me, it is a bit hard to argue with there concern for us. In some cities/towns, I am sure it is a business thiing: the authorities want us to stay in 'their' hotels. One hotel was very clearly run by the establishment, and elsewhere it is safe to asssume hoteliers have strong connections with the authorities. |
| Nov 11, 2008 22:06 | #4 |
| Generally hotels that accept credit cards are accessible to foreigners but some hotels that do not accept credit cards but local debit cards and cash do accept foreigners. I am just fortunate that I don't really look like a foreigner that I could stay in budget hotels meant for locals. A decade ago, some parts in China, a bottle of mineral water was sold at a different price between a local and a foreigner. Now I don't see that anymore. There are a lot of changes, perhaps one day all hotels will be accessible to all people, including foreigners. Wan |
| Nov 12, 2008 03:24 | #5 |
| Unfortunately the ones that accept credit cards usually want to much of my money...and not always for a better service. It's also annoying when a hotel has signs such as 'reception' in English and then they say they cannot take foreigners! |
| Nov 12, 2008 19:50 | #6 |
| The same with one hotel that hangs several clocks on the wall displaying world time, as well as signage showing reception and cashier, probably as teaching aids for its staff. |
| Nov 13, 2008 13:56 | #7 |
| My wife always arranges hotels either by herself or through friends and although I get funny looks when I first walk in, I have never had a problem. Alan |
| Nov 17, 2008 07:52 | #8 |
| The real reason is that foreigners, especially white and black, maybe middle easterners too, can not stay in cheap hotels is because: the hotel has to buy a permit to regisiter foreigners, and with that permit they recieve foreigner registration forms from the local PSB office, that they have to fill out and send back to the local PSB, whom of which, already know which hotels have the permit and which one don't. And if they don't have a permit to register foreign occupants, especially white or black, they arre subject to high fines. This is partly due to protecting foreigners from being ripped off and keeping them in safe and some of it has to due with keeping their culturral values safe from foreigners, as well. My wife is Chinese, I am white but speak Chinese well, we can usually stay at cheap hotels with out much trouble, but sometimes we get denied on sight of me... |
| Nov 19, 2008 06:28 | #9 |
| Ah, I hadn't heard that before, and it is certainly true that non Chinese Asians have less of a problem... the Police won't notice them. While I acept what you say, the fact that each city varies and some cities are harder to get budget accom suggests that there is local politics at play too. |
| Nov 22, 2008 17:22 | #10 |
| If you live and work in China, regardless of whether you are a foreigner or not, you can stay at the cheap hotels. With your Foreign Expert Certificate (also called Residency permit), it gives both you and the hotel the escape clause needed to avoid the heavy fines. I have stated in budget hotels in many of the cities and in some cases they had to phone the police to make sure they were ok to let me stay there. Touch wood! I have never been refused to date. |
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